San Francisco vindicator., 1887-08-13
UMBRELLA TINKERs.
a Glance at Comparatively New But
Very Useful Industry.

UMBRELLA TINkERSs
A Glance at Comparatively New But
Very Useful Industry.
An umbrella repairer's den is almost
as interesting a place as an old-book
shop. A few years ago. when tramps
were abroad in the land in large num-
bers. many of them armed themselves
with hammers and umbrella frames
that the tinker's disguise might shield
them in the surreptitious inspection Of
window fastenings. But now the re-
pairer OF faded and infirm umbrellas
has place in the world, and although
rascals may be in the business they are
fewer than they used to be. There are
in this city some six or eight men who
conduct hospitals for the treatment Of
old rain-protectors, and two men man
ufacture umbrellas from stick toscover
at the order of customers.
ANY bell that's got a head on i'm
and can do any thing. can mend an
umbrella" said one OF the umbrella
doctors to a reporter as he bent over a
broken catch.
The gentlemen said he had several
men employed in drumming up trade,
and man and women were at work in
his shop. Round about were umbrellas
in all stages of decay, with numerous
handles and other essentials. Ribs were
piled up without number. and ribs to
spare-but not ''spare-ribs. The
anatomical construction of the umbrella
is peculiar, and the rib is an important
feature. As the doctor said, it is the
most easily Knocked out of gear Of any
of the necessary parts.
''The best ribs are imported from
England. There age two kinds, the
solid and hollow. Umbrellas are not
made so good as formerly. The handle
is the chief thing noticed in buying,
and neat handle piece will sell for
good price an umbrella that will fall to
pieces inside of two weeks. The best
articles are manufactured in Philadel-
phia and New York. The cheap gold
headed umbrellas are good for our
business. Unless they are exceptions
to the general rule, a few months fin
ishes them, and we are called to make
repairs. With the ribs, the cover is an
important part. We furnish them for
from 81 to 81. An umbrella can't be
SO badly mangled but we can fix it, so
long as there's little something to
build on. Part of stick and few ribs
are enough to give us our bearings"
The magnitude of the umbrella bust
ness may pretty fairly be estimated
Allowing one umbrella to every ten
people, and placing the population Of
Indianapolis at 100000 there are 10000
umbrellas within the cincture of the
Belt railroad. Of course they are
changed about and traded in mysteri-
GUS ways, but offenses of this kind do
not fall within the provisions of the
penal code. The city's umbrellas are
worth, if they be valued at the average
of 81 each, the sum of $4,000. The
valuation may be rather large, but a
few cents added to the intrinsic worth
will serve to count for the mental dis
turbance of owners in guarding their
property. Taking it for granted that
every umbrella of the possible 10000
has to be repaired during the year, and
guessing at the cost of the work for
each one to be cents Ga very low esti-
mate, by the way), some idea OF the
financial returns of the repairer will be
gained.
The mender is no respecter of per-
sons. In his shop the most miserable
looking blue cotton wreck is perched
beside the finest article in silk. He
hasn't enough sense to come in out of
the rain," is common expression in
dicating the worst kind of intellectual
poverty. Thoreau, the Walden hermit
philosopher, liked to be rained on, but
the idea of getting wet is not pleasant
one to the average mind. The dude
may have his wet and dry umbrella.
A man less exquisite must have rain
umbrella, sure. He had better keep it
in repair and ready for the "rainy day"
that is always coming, and to this end
should consult and patronize the tinker,
whose specially is to keep r@n-shielders
in good condition. Indianapolis Nea0s.